Advocacy

Gold Star Spouses of America is committed to advocating for legislative changes that honor the sacrifices of military families and address the unique challenges faced by surviving spouses. The following are Gold Star Spouses policy priorities for legislative action in the 119th Congress. For more information or how you can support please contact info@goldstarspouses.org. 

IMPROVE DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION (DIC) 

H.R. 680 "CARING FOR SURVIVORS ACT 2025"

S. 611  COMPANION BILL

This bill amends Title 38, United States Code, to improve and expand eligibility for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation paid to certain survivors of certain veterans, and for other purposes. 

Objective: Achieve parity between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) survivor benefit, Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and federal civilian employee survivor benefits.

• Currently, DIC replaces 43% of the compensation a 100% disabled veteran receives from the VA. In contrast, the federal employee survivor benefit can be up to 55% of the federal employee’s compensation.
• Proposal: Increase DIC to 55% of a 100% disabled veteran’s disability compensation to provide surviving spouses equal benefits to federal employee survivor benefits.

"Gold Star Spouses of America, Inc. (GSSA) is proud to support the Caring for Survivors Act. For far too long, survivors of military service members have faced financial hardships due to outdated benefit calculations that have not kept pace with their needs. This bill ensures that surviving spouses and family members receive benefits that more adequately reflect their sacrifice and loss through the improvement of the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) program,” said Tamra Sipes, National President, Gold Star Spouses of America."   https://hayes.house.gov/press-releases?ID=7EE49BB1-9833-4FA8-B2AA-06532D3E6F9F

FACT SHEET-CARING FOR SURVIVORS

SUPPORT LOVE LIVES ON ACT

H.R. 1004 "LOVE LIVES ON ACT"

This bill amends titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to improve benefits and services for surviving spouses, and for other purposes.

Objective: Update policies to ensure that surviving spouses can retain survivor benefits regardless of life changes, including choosing to marry again. This initiative seeks to modernize provisions to better support surviving spouses, recognizing their ongoing sacrifices and needs.

• This bill ensures surviving spouses retain critical benefits—including Department of Defense and Veterans’ Affairs survivor benefits, healthcare, and educational assistance—regardless of remarriage, while also modernizing definitions to ensure enduring support.
• These provisions honor the profound sacrifices of surviving spouses, ensuring they can rebuild their lives without choosing between love and the critical benefits earned through their loved one’s ultimate sacrifice for our country.

FACT SHEET- LOVE LIVES ON

RESTORE THE ORGINAL ROLE OF THE OFFICE OF SURVIVORS ASSISTANCE

Objective: Restore the Office of Survivor Assistance (OSA) to its Congressionally mandated position within the Office of the Secretary to serve as the primary advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on all matters relating to policies, programs, and legislative issues affecting survivors, as mandated by Public Law 110-389.

• Current Issue: OSA has been moved twice within the VA—first to the Office of Outreach, Transition, and Economic Development in February 2021, and then to the Office of Pension and Fiduciary in June 2023. These relocations have diminished its authority and ability to advocate effectively for survivors.
• Proposal: Return OSA to its original position within the VA, reporting directly to the Secretary, to ensure survivors receive the dedicated advocacy and oversight intended by Congress. This will empower OSA to monitor benefits delivery, ensure appropriate referrals, and address the unique needs of surviving spouses, children, and parents of deceased veterans with authority across all three VA Administrations.

FACT SHEET- OSA

EXPANSION OF TRICARE AND CHAMPVA YOUNG ADULT PROGRAM COVERAGE

Objective: Address disparities in healthcare access and affordability by reducing TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) premiums and extending CHAMPVA eligibility to age 26.

• Currently, the high cost of TRICARE Young Adult premiums makes healthcare unaffordable for many surviving children, limiting their access to necessary services. Also, surviving children eligible for CHAMPVA coverage only receive coverage until the age of 23, leaving surviving children without healthcare access during a critical time in their lives.
• Proposal: Align TRICARE Young Adult premiums with those of CHAMPVA and other federal programs to ensure equitable and affordable healthcare access for surviving dependents. We must also expand CHAMPVA coverage to age 26 to align with the Affordable Care Act, ensuring consistent and comprehensive coverage for dependent children, comparable to what is available to other Americans.

FACT SHEET- EXPANSION OF TRICARE AND CHAMPVA YOUNG ADULT

HEART ACT AMENDMENT

Objective: Amend the HEART (Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax) Act to improve financial benefits for surviving spouses.

• Currently, provisions under the HEART Act provide the opportunity for an active-duty service member’s survivor to contribute up to the full amount of the Department of Defense (DoD) death gratuity and the proceeds from Service Members Group Life Insurance into a Roth IRA. However, the survivor is only given one year to move the funds into the Roth IRA.  
• Proposal: Expand the period of time one is allowed to make the decision from one year to three years and allow a one-time retroactive period for survivors to use this benefit regardless of when they received their Death Gratuity and SGLI benefits.

FACT SHEET- HEART ACT

EXPANSION OF THE GOLD STAR FAMILY NATIONAL PARK PASS

Objective: Expand the Gold Star Families Pass to the National Parks to include surviving spouses of all active-duty service member deaths and all veteran service-connected deaths.

• Currently, the National Parks Gold Star Families Pass is only authorized for usage by the families of those service members who die in “qualifying situations” such as a war, an international terrorist attack, or a military operation outside of the US while serving with the US Armed Forces.
• Proposal: Expand the current eligibility criteria to include the families of all those who died while serving on active-duty and the families of veterans who died from a service-connected illness or injury.  

FACT SHEET- NATIONAL PARK PASS EXPANSION

Gold Star Spouses of America urges members of the 119th Congress to prioritize these legislative initiatives. Together, we can honor the sacrifices of military surviving spouses and their families by providing the necessary support and recognition they deserve.

https://youtu.be/-cUa16fSSOE